SMA PLT'S STORY OF 2 PLANES IN LOOSE FORMATION FLT ENCOUNTERING CLOUDS AND TURB. LOSS OF ACFT CTL.

Narrative

AFTER WX BRIEF AT AKRON; CO; XX30 AM LCL TIME; WHICH STATED TOPS OVER CHEYENNE AT 8000; AND OUR DEST WAS RPTING 5000 AND BROKEN; UNLIMITED VISIBILITY. WE TOOK OFF ON A HDG OF 300 DEGS; WE LEVELED AT 10500 FT. I COULD SEE CHEYENNE BELOW THROUGH BROKEN CLOUDS. MY FRIEND IN THE SMA Y WAS ABOUT 1/2 MI TO MY L. HE CALLED AND TOLD ME WE WOULD HAVE TO CLB TO 12500 TO GET OVER THESE CLOUDS. I WAS IN VISUAL CONTACT WITH HIS SMA. IT WAS ON MY L; HIGHER AND AHEAD OF ME. I REMEMBER MY ALTIMETER PASSING 11300 FT WHEN; SUDDENLY; THE ACFT DROPPED. THE VERT SPD INDICATOR WENT TO 2000 FT DOWN. I PULLED BACK GENTLY ON THE CTL COLUMN AND THE VERT SPD INDICATOR WENT TO 2000 FT CLB. THE STALL WARNING HORN SOUNDED. I LOOKED AT MY AIRSPD AND IT WAS INDICATING 140 MPH. AT THIS POINT; I CALLED MY FRIEND IN THE SMA Y AND TOLD HIM I WAS IN A CLOUD AND THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT RESPONDING PROPERLY. HE TOLD ME TO SLOWLY CLB AND I WOULD CLB OUT OF IT. I WAS IN A WHITE CLOUD AND THE VERT SPD INDICATOR HAD HIT THE STOPS 3 TIMES. MY DG WAS SPINNING; MY COMPASS WAS READING 90 DEGS. I WAS STILL DROPPING AND EXPERIENCING VERY HVY 'G' FORCES. WHILE PASSING 9000 FT; I SAW CLR SKY BELOW. I LEVELED AT 8500 FT; WAS BELOW THE CLOUDS AND UNDER CTL; BUT I WAS NOW HDG 180 DEGS. I MADE A SLOW R HAND TURN AND PICKED UP MY 300 DEG HDG; KNEES SHAKING SO BADLY I COULD HARDLY KEEP MY FEET ON THE RUDDER PEDALS. I REMEMBER FEELING BACK IN CTL. I CALLED MY FRIEND IN THE SMA SEVERAL TIMES; BUT HE NEVER ANSWERED. I REMEMBER THINKING HE WAS PROBABLY TOO FAR AHEAD OF ME FOR HIS RADIO TO REACH ME; SO I CONTINUED ON MY COURSE TO RIVERTON; WY; WHERE I THOUGHT MY FRIENDS IN THE SMA WOULD BE WAITING AND JOKING ABOUT MY LNDG WITH MY KNEES SHAKING. I ARRIVED AND FOUND THAT HIS ACFT WAS NOT THERE. ABOUT 2 HRS LATER; I HEARD THAT IT HAD CRASHED ABOUT 15 MI NW OF CHEYENNE.